Chronicles of Sunno: The Serpent's Door

They camped by the western wall, where the wind was kinder. Sheltered under a waxed canvas stretched from the wagon to the ground like a tent, and sat on woolen blankets, warming themselves by a small fire. They were not allowed inside the castle, but just being sheltered by the wall offered more security than camping in the forest. Except for the minor detail that they were wanted, precisely, by the guards of that very place.

Darkness surrounded them, although the last remnants of daylight could still be glimpsed, shining over the horizon's mountain line. Below the bare moor on which the castle sat, the treetops extended in all directions, like a dark and uneven sea, swaying in waves with the night wind through the foliage. The towers and battlements were silhouetted against the night sky, which had become cloud-covered in the last hours of the afternoon. “It only needs to rain,” thought Lysandra.

She huddled close to her little sister, as the night was quite chilly. Nothing like the heat they had endured all day. Beside her was Toothpick, who seemed to be plotting some plan, as usual. His previous idea had faltered with the sergeant's unexpected offer, and now she wasn't sure if the situation had improved or worsened.

They weren't the only ones camped by the walls. There were two other wagons nearby, about twenty yards apart, with three groups of people who were protecting themselves from the night cold in a similar way. They could be heard talking and occasionally laughing. Lysandra couldn't quite understand what they were saying; they seemed like foreigners. Probably merchants, like them. Or more precisely, people pretending to be merchants. Like them.

"Maybe we could use the seamstress card," proposed Crab, while he finished stirring whatever he was cooking in the small iron pot with a wooden spoon. "If they let Lysa in, she might be able to find us an entrance."

Lysandra was a bit surprised by the familiarity Crab had taken, calling her "Lysa." But it didn't bother her at all.

"I don't see it. If she goes in, they'll put her in some servant's room to mend uniforms, and they won't take their eyes off her. It will be quite hard for her to slip away," responded Toothpick.

"What if we stick to the original plan?" suggested Wart. "After all, we're already at the wall. We could crawl along it until we reach the north side and climb there as we initially planned."

"I'd prefer that, but the gate guards are keeping a bit of an eye on us. We'd need to distract them somehow," said Toothpick, clasping his hands under his chin, as if to think more intensely.

"Maybe Zari can create one of her illusions, like she did with my hand," Crab replied hoarsely, raising his iron claw and smiling at the girl, who smiled back. "I almost believed I'd gotten it back for real."

"Zari." Crab already seemed like family, thought Lysandra. Maybe she should start calling him by his name too, instead of his nickname.

"Well, illusions are the second thing I'm best at. Though I'm better at healing. But I could try something," suggested Zari. Her voice was a bit chilled by the cold, and she snuggled closer, wrapping the blanket around her up to her chin.

Lysa made a bet with herself. "Let's see how long it takes young Wart..."

"Are you cold, Zari?" said the young man immediately, offering her his blanket.

"Are you sure? You'll catch a cold," replied her sister, who had quickly accepted it, showing little intention of returning it.

Three seconds. Lysandra nodded in satisfaction and couldn't help but smile. Maybe she had developed some clairvoyant powers. No, it wasn't that. It was clear the boy was head over heels for her sister. "Poor thing. It's obvious he doesn't have to put up with her every day," she thought.

"You seem very cheerful."

She realized Toothpick was watching her, with some curiosity. Was it that rare to see her smile?

"And very quiet too," the man continued. "Do you have something in mind that might help us?"

"Maybe. I think I could put the gate guards to sleep. And get us through there without having to climb the walls."

Everyone looked at her, serious and thoughtful.

"My sister is excellent at mind control," said Zari, supporting her.

"Don't say 'mind control.' It sounds worse than it is. I prefer to call it 'will bending,'" she excused herself.

"Sounds the same to me," noted Crab, raising his nonexistent eyebrows.

"And to me," added Wart.

Toothpick continued to ponder silently, watching her. She started to feel a bit uncomfortable. Why was he looking at her like that?

"The truth is, I'm surprised the gate is open and the portcullis raised. And I've noticed the guard is somewhat... sparse," he finally said. "It's very suspicious. But if we go through the gate, it will be easy to cross the courtyard, hiding in the shadows, and sneak in through the kitchen. Last time, we entered that way without a problem. And from there, it's relatively easy to reach the stairs leading to the Count's quarters."

"You know that if I use my Power, you won't be able to count on me for a while."

"That's what I fear. It's a problem..."

"We should all go. I can help you while my sister recovers," Zarinia said cheerfully.

"What? No, no way. It's going to be very dangerous inside. And someone has to stay out here, guarding the horses," Wart replied, annoyed.

"The horses aren't going anywhere. And these people won't rob us if they think the guards are watching them," his sister responded vehemently.

"No, I told you it's going to be dangerous."

"What do you mean, no? And who do you think you are to tell me what I should or shouldn't do?" Zari retorted, raising her voice and frowning.

"Don't be bullheaded!" Wart replied, also raising his voice. "All I'm trying to do is..."

"Bullheaded?!"

Toothpick, Crab, and she remained silent, watching the young pair's scene. Even the voices from the neighboring carts had stopped.

"Oh, how sweet. Their first fight," thought Lysandra.

Zari and Wart realized the others were watching them and fell silent, sulking, with their arms crossed, and a bit embarrassed.

"Master Wart," Lysandra finally said in a conciliatory tone. "I appreciate your concern for my sister's well-being, but you should know we can take care of ourselves; we are not mere defenseless ladies. We will accompany you inside if it helps to get the medallion."

"Then no more talk. I'm ready," muttered Crab, making a move to stand up.

"Calm down, my friend. Let's wait until the night progresses a bit more and our neighbors fall asleep. The silence will help us hear if there are guards nearby. Let's rest for a while; we'll need it," concluded Toothpick. Lysandra completely agreed.